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After Completing First Grant Cycle for Direct-to-Farmer Grants, Blue Ridge Seeds of Change Provides Updates

Sept. 29, 2014. Blue Ridge Seeds of Change (BRSOC) completed the first grant cycle for Direct-to-Farmer grants and distributed the first round of funds to awarded farmers in April. Building on the success of the WNC AgOptions grant model, BRSOC encouraged collaboration between the applicants and their county Cooperative Extension Agents.

Funding from Heifer International through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change has enabled 15 farmers across the 5 county – 2 state region, to start a variety of projects in Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes, and Watauga counties in North Carolina and Johnson County, Tennessee. Heifer, a global non-profit organization is dedicated to working with communities to end hunger and poverty through sustainable agricultural practices, and will provide over a million dollars in funding through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change in this region over a 5 year time frame.

In Watauga County, five farms were grant recipients and they have now begun to make progress on their very exciting ventures. Blue Ridge Seeds of Change and Heifer USA have done follow up visits with these farmers and are pleased to inform the public about the development of these projects.

Peter Jankowski shows executive director of BRSOC, Lauri Wilson, the asparagus plants that he has been growing.
Peter Jankowski shows executive director of BRSOC, Lauri Wilson, the asparagus plants that he has been growing.

#1. Pete and Dorene Jankowski currently operate a successful value-added business of making hot sauces and salsa with products produced from their farm, Fire from the Mountain. They utilize Blue Ridge Food Ventures in Asheville to bottle the products and sell it to local markets, including the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. Currently twenty percent of their household net income is generated from farming, so Pete works for a construction company to supplement their income while Dorene works on the farm full-time. In the spring of 2014, Fire from the Mountain Farm received a $3,000 grant from Heifer USA through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change to increase an asparagus enterprise to extend their market season. A successful fifteen years of planting asparagus that provides six to eight weeks of harvest has inspired a plan to extend the harvest season. They will plant 200 crowns of Pacific Purple from a nursery in Massachusetts, and 800 crowns of Martha Washington dug from a nearby farm. These varieties of asparagus they have chosen will reach a niche market, due to increased competition for standard varieties as well as items typically available at the farmers market. Weather and weeds have been the biggest challenge this season for Pete and Dorene. Rain has prevented weeding and mulching on a consistent basis, but the Pacific Purple has done exceptionally well. Pete expects to harvest beds in succession next year for at least three to four weeks for the purple, and a week or two for the Martha Washington. While the farm specializes in peppers and is known for their salsa and hot sauce, they also produce a wide variety of vegetables and the High Country community is excited to see where they go next.

Bill Moretz outside his home.
Bill Moretz outside his home.
Bill Moretz's aeroponic system with small lettuce sprouts
Bill Moretz’s aeroponic system with small lettuce sprouts

#2. Bill Moretz of Moretz Mountain Orchard is a transitioned tobacco farmer who now grows a wide range of products including apples, pears, and a variety of vegetables. Bill was voted the 2013 Small Farmer of the Year and is the President of PHARMN (Preserving Heritage Agriculture and Regional Markets Now). In April of this year, Bill applied for a $6,000 grant from Heifer USA through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change in order to set up an aeroponic growing system in his grow-house so he can have the benefit of year round production. With aeroponics, the plant roots are suspended in the air and sprayed with a small mist. Bill chose this over a hydroponic system due to fewer problems with nutrient imbalances and contamination of nutrient solution. The system also utilizes up to ninety percent less water and up to sixty percent less nutrients and requires zero pesticides when compared to conventional or organic out door growing. Bill found that the unit was challenging to set up because the equipment took longer than expected to get to him and some pieces needed to be reordered. Although the instructions were good and tech support was helpful, putting it together and testing it and reconfiguring it with new working parts was time consuming. Bill set the unit up in a 12 x 7 basement area that was insulated with foil insulation to reflect light. He made sure that the room is temperature and light controlled for a consistent growing environment. The unit holds up to 170 starts and Bill is currently testing it with his first run of lettuce seedlings in a trial and error process. Bill has also started to build a secondary DIY aeroponic plant system based on internet search instructions. This secondary system will hold larger plants and work in tandem with the primary system. With this winter project, Bill expects to sell lettuce and other produce, such as bok choy, all year long. During his internet searches, Bill discovered a video showing aeroponic potatoes being grown in Turkey. The opportunities of aeroponic systems surprised him and he is more than ready to get both of his own systems under full production.

#3. Robert Johnson’s family currently owns a hardware store and plumbing company; however, they are selling the hardware store to devote more time to their vineyard, Hattie Hill, with intent to expand it. His family is also selling their home in Blowing Rock to move to the farm full-time. Hattie Hill Vineyard is a retirement business for Robert and is supporting fifty percent of his household net income. In order to increase his yield through additional grapes in the vineyard, Robert applied for and received a $3,000 grant from Heifer USA through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change in April 2014. Robert has already planted 350 vines, with a deer fence almost completed. By the third or second year, the Johnsons plan to yield two tons of grapes. They currently distribute to five wineries in the area including Grandfather Winery and Linville Falls Winery. According to Bob, grapes don’t ‘make money,’ but wine has a 100 fold profit margin. Wine in the High Country sells for $18 to over $20 per bottle, and scaling up increases profitability. Hattie Hill expects to open its own winery in five years, and be part of a high country wine trail. Hattie Hill is one of the many vineyards working on the proposed High Country American Viticulture Area (AVA) designation, an effort being developed by the High Country Wine Growers Association. A feasibility study has been completed and ASU is working on a petition to demonstrate the uniqueness of the area required for an AVA title. What are the benefits of an AVA to an area? When the High Country is granted the AVA title, winegrowers in this area can use that label to let their consumers know where the grapes are truly grown and processed. Additionally, a report by the Travel Institute of America estimated that travel and tourism in the US rose by twenty eight percent in the ten year period ending in 2007 and agritourism, such as visiting wineries and vineyards, is the fastest growing sector in the tourism industry. Heifer USA and Blue Ridge Seeds of Change will follow Hattie Hill’s success over the next few years, expecting to see a good return on investment as this vineyard grows, which will support the emerging AVA and agritourism development. Consequently, employment, support from regional vineyards, and brand recognition in the High Country of Appalachia will flourish.

Jimmy and Sheila Greene stand outside the barn they are renovating for safer cattle handling.
Jimmy and Sheila Greene stand outside the barn they are renovating for safer cattle handling.

#4. Jimmy and Sheila Greene of North Fork Farm previously grew tobacco to gain enough money to put a down payment on their current farm. Currently, fifteen percent of their household net income is from farming with Sheila working full-time on the farm and Jimmy working off the farm to cover the rest of their income needs. They raise grass-fed beef, which provides them secured markets in the High Country region, including six restaurants. They are Appalachian Grown certified (ASAP) as well as High Country Local First members. North Fork is also part of the Local Appetite Initiative on Appalachian State University, a marketing campaign to advertise ASU’s recent purchases of local food. Appalachian State University regularly features the Blue Ridge Burger in their cafeterias, provided by North Fork. Jimmy and Sheila continue to be exceedingly engaged in the local community in various ways. In April 2014, North Fork Farm received a $3,000 grant from Heifer USA through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change to install equipment for safely weighing and loading their cattle. The money intends to confront the treacherous roadway up to their cattle barn. If Jimmy wants to weigh cattle to take to market, he has to load them for an extra trip to another farm and in some cases takes them as far as Mountain City. Currently the roadway is hazardous in inclement weather and cannot be used in rain, snow or mud. The plan for the site will mitigate this danger and provide better, safer cattle handling. The new setup of movable cattle panels will allow the Greenes to load and unload cattle more safely and efficiently on their road. They are currently reconfiguring the barn to install the large scale and to use the existing head gate more effectively. The ability to have on-farm weighing will secure the best price for their animals and ensure they get what they expect for slaughter and processing. The facility improvements will reduce transportation risk and animal stress, while saving on fuel costs. Blue Ridge Seeds of Change and Heifer USA are excited to support and follow this project, which will no doubt allow North Fork Farm and its markets to flourish.

Douglas and Daruis Jones stand in front of one of their cattle pastures
Douglas and Daruis Jones stand in front of one of their cattle pastures
Douglas and Darius Jones's newly constructed cattle handling area
Douglas and Darius Jones’s newly constructed cattle handling area

#5. Douglas Jones, a fourth generation farmer, and his son Darius operate a feedstock cattle farm, Jones Boys Cattle, where they utilize rotational grazing methods. They received a $6,000 grant from Heifer USA through Blue Ridge Seeds of Change to install a better cattle handling facility, specifically a squeeze chute and scale system. This will increase the animal welfare, providing low-stress to the cattle in otherwise stressful situations such as weighing, immunizations, castration, insemination, and dehorning. With this facility, they will be able to reallocate their time normally spent handling cattle and transporting them to other sites, to focus on other farm needs. They will also be able to offer Beef Quality Assurance training sessions to other local farmers. Getting the system in place has been a challenge with weather and the summer farm activities, stated Douglas. They have had the cattle chute since May, but weather postponed work along the way, especially for installation of the concrete pad. Summer season farm duties have reduced the time that Douglas and Darius have had to finish the building in preparation for the new equipment installation. They were able to get great deals on equipment through internet searches and thorough research. They stated that if they didn’t get this funding, the project would be stalled for about two years. They look forward to completion and better monitoring of growth in their cattle herds, which will produce genetically superior stock for restoring or starting herds on other farms. In the future, Darius plans to take over the farm and make sure it stays in the family.

These Watauga County grantees will provide an educational outreach program after the projects are completed. These programs will demonstrate the success and lessons learned to other farmers and the public so that more farmers are encouraged to develop enterprises that increase farm income and sustainability.

Visit the Blue Ridge Seeds of Change website and keep an eye out for more information about 2014 projects. http://www.blueridgeseedsofchange.org/